Booster Club

Cougar Booster Club

Barton Cougar Athletics and You - Complying with NJCAA and KJCCC Rules and Regulations (To print and view in separate document click here, for the 2017-18 KJCCC Bylaws click here and for the Region VI Bylaws to here)

The Barton Community College Athletics department is grateful to the many alumni, donors, fans and friends who support the Cougars each year. One of the most important qualities of any intercollegiate athletic program is integrity. As a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association and the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference, Barton has a responsibility to educate administrators, coaches, student-athletes and other representatives of institutional athletic interests about the rules that could affect their association with the program. Barton Athletics is striving to remain in compliance with the guidelines of the NJCAA and the KJCCC.

You are a representative of Barton Athletic interests!
As a supporter of Cougar Athletics, you and your involvement are greatly appreciated by the administration, coaching staff and student-athletes. We encourage you to attend as many events as possible, introduce Cougar Athletics to friends and business associates, support our fund-raising efforts and consider student-athletes for summer employment.
However, as important as your assistance is to the program, it is equally critical to know that the college and its athletic program could be jeopardized if you unintentionally or intentionally violate NJCAA or KJCCC regulations. Maintaining institutional control over the administration of the Barton Athletics program, including recruiting, is our highest concern.

What is “compliance”?
Compliance is a fundamental requirement of Barton’s membership in the NJCAA and the KJCCC. As a supporter of Cougar Athletics, you are bound by NJCAA and KJCCC regulations, and Barton is responsible for your actions. Failure to comply with NJCAA and KJCCC rules could result in severe penalties or sanctions against Barton’s athletics programs and its student-athletes.

You should be aware that the NJCAA PROHIBITS the following:

Permitting an athlete to receive assistance, in cash or in kind, which is not administered by the institution, or which does not fall within the permissible limits of a grant-in-aid (tuition & books)

Permitting a member of a student-athlete’s family to receive assistance, in cash or in kind.

Purchasing meals at restaurants for student-athletes

Contributing to the payment of registration fees for prospects to attend sports camps

Permitting athletes to engage in employment for which they receive greater compensation, or in which they are not required to work as hard as others in similar employment or which is otherwise not legitimate employment

Paying transportation costs for prospects or their friends and relatives to visit Barton

Permitting a prospective student-athlete to be solicited to attend their institution by the promise of gift or any aid or inducement other than that of a Grant-in-Aid permitted by NJCAA and KJCCC rules

Contacting student-athletes enrolled at other two-year institutions to explore the possibilities for transferring to Barton

Permitting or arranging for excessive entertainment of a prospect on campus or elsewhere during the prospects official visit

Providing a student-athlete with a discount, payment plan or credit on a service

Providing a student-athlete with professional services without charge or at a reduced cost

Permitting the institution or a representative of its athletic interests to provide an automobile for use by a prospect or the prospect’s student host during the prospect’s official visit

Permitting any outside organization, agency or group of individuals to utilize, administer or expend funds for recruiting prospects, including the transportation and entertainment of, and the giving of gifts or services to, prospects or their relatives or friends

Allowing a student-athlete to use a phone or credit card without charge or at a reduced rate

Making available to student-athletes services (movie tickets, dinners, use of car, etc.) from commercial agencies without charge or at a reduced rate

Providing a student-athlete with extra benefits or services including but not limited to loaning money or guaranteeing a bond, use of an automobile, signing or cosigning a note with an outside agency to arrange a loan

What can I do to help?

You may provide a student athlete or an entire team with an occasional meal (e.g. Thanksgiving, Christmas) All arrangements must be made in advance with the athletic director and head coach.

You may be involved with the institutions “adopt a player program” under the following conditions:

Approval of the college administration.

Utilizing the occasional family meal.

The program is administered by the institution.

No monetary transactions may transpire from the “parent” to the adoptive student-athlete (i.e. loans, co-signing, long distance telephone calls, tickets).

No trips involving excessive mileage and/or expense.

No free tickets paid for by “parent”.

NJCAA regulations regarding booster clubs:

The financial records of booster clubs and similar organizations which assist athletic programs must be open and available to college officials.

All transactions of a booster type organization which assist a college athletic program in any way (e.g. equipment purchases, recruitment expenses, grant-in-aid, etc.) must be authorized by the college president or an employee designated by the president.

All booster club funds used for grant-in-aid must be administered in compliance with Article VIII, Part A, Section 3. (Grants-in-Aid shall be administered by the institution through the office, department, or division which administers financial funds for enrolled students.)

For more information, contact the Barton Athletic Office at (620) 792-9377